Traffic guard



y 3- I c. CELSTON I 1,916,787

TRAFFIC GUARD Filed Aug. 23, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor ZZarZas' (TE/12 00 M J y 1933- c. c. ELSTON 1,916,787

TRAFFIC GUARD Filed Aug. 23, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnven in r [Zarias' (51782022 4/ mpg M July 4, 1933. -c. c. ELSTON 1,916,787

TRAFFIC GUARD Filed Aug. 23, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 4,12 ,d i j 1 Fl ,7 A? 1% /4 /7 I j A; Z

Inventor /1 Home y Patented July 4, I933 unrrso STATES CHARLES C. ELS'lON, OF PASADENA, CALIFORNIA TRAFFIC GUARD Application filed. August 23, 1932. Serial No. 630,120.

This invention relates to a traffic sign or guard and more particularly to a sign or guard employed for indicating safety zones, reserved or restricted territory, and lanes of travel.

In accordance with the present invention a trafiic sign or guard is provided which when not in use may be lowered beneath the surrounding surface of the street out of the way,

together with novel means forsafety housing the sign or guard when not in use.

The invention will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view showing one manner of use of the guard or sign.

' Figure 2 is an elevational view of the sign in its raised position for use.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the same.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View through the sign.

Figure 5 is a view taken at right angles to Figure 4 and with the sign or guard lowered in out of the way position.

Figures 6 and 7 are transverse sectional views taken substantially on the lines 6-6 and 7-7 respectively of Figure l.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a spring locking lug, and

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a handle or bail member.

With reference more in detail to the drawings it will be seen that myimproved sign or guard comprises a tubular casing or housing 10 that is opened at its upper end and closed at its bottom end.

Slidable in the casing 10 and adapted to be housed thereby is a post 11 that is open at its bottom end and closed at its top. At the top thereof the post 11 is provided with a central depression 12 within which, when not in use, lies a bail 13 provided to facilitate raising and lowering of the post 11-.

At its top or upper end the post 11 is also provided with an outstanding annular flange 14 provided on its under side with an annular gasket 15 of suitable yieldable material. The shoulder 15, in the post 11 is housed within the casing 10 and is adapted to engage a seat 16 provided in the upper portion of the housing or casing 10. It will be noted that the seat 16 is disposed a material distance below the surface of the ground 17 so that when the flange 14 is engaged with the seat the top face of the same will. be substantially flush with the surface of the roadway or pavement 17 as shown in Figure 5.

Adjacent its upper end the post 11 is provided with a circular series of relatively spaced apertures 18 and substantially closing each aperture is a reflector button 19, and each of the reflector buttons 19 is preferably colored red, and are secured in position on the inside of the post 11 as at 20.

Secured to the inner side of the post 11 adjacent the lower end of the post is a spring member 21 that has its lower end offset as at 21a and then bent inwardly at right angles as at 216 thus forming a keeper lug that is normally urged outwardly of the post 11 through a vertical notch 22 provided in the lower portion of the post.

The casing 10 slightly below the middle thereof or at any other suitable point in its length is provided with an aperture 23, and as shown in Figure l when the post 11 is raised to aline the notch 22 with the aperture 23 the lug end of the spring 21 will pass through the notch 22 and engage the aperture 23 with end 21?) engaging the lower end of the notch whereby the post 11 will be retained in its raised position.

It is apparent that my improved safety guard or sign can be used for indicating or defining safety zones, reserved or restricted territory, and as shown in Figure 1 four or such signs or guards may be arranged at an intersection for indicating lanes of travel.

It will also be apparent, that when not in use, the posts 11 maybe readily lowered into the casing 10 and fully housed thereby. Also to raise the post 11 all that is necessary is to grasp the bale 13 and pull upwardly until the keeper end 21a, 21?) of spring 21 engages the aperture 23 whereupon the post 11 will be held in raised position so that the reflectors 19 will receive the rays of light emanating from the vehicle headlight of an approaching vehicle thus warning the operator that he is approaching a signal or guard and may thereby direct his course accordingly.

Even though I have herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of further changes, modifica tions and improvements coming within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, 'what I claim as new is:

1. In a traffic guard, a casing,-a tubular post having a sliding fit within said casing, said post having at one end a wall provided with a circular recess, abail pivoted to said wall and adapted to lie wholly within said recess, said postadjacent said one end being also provided with a circular series of relatively spaced openings, reflector buttons mounted interiorly ofthe post opposite said openings, a leaf spring member anchored at one end interiorly of said post and having a free end movable-into and out of said post through a lateral notch provided in said post,

v provided with a circular series of openings,

reflector buttons mounted within said post in operative position to said openings, said post being also provided at its upper closed end with an outstanding annular flange adapted to engage said seat and to lie flush with the pavement, a spring keeper member having an end anchored within the post; said casing being provided with a lateral opening, and said post being provided with a lateral notch adapted to aline with said opening when the post is in one position relative to said casing, and s'aid spring latch member having an end arranged in operative position to the notch to project therethrough and engage the opening in the case to secure the post against casual rotative and axial sliding movement relative to said casin In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

" CHARLES C. ELSTON. 

